Biogas

Upgrading for

Vehicle Fuel

and Pipeline

Injection

Kim Murdock-Timmerman

Capture your biogas….

Downers Grove, IL Glenbard, IL

Midwest Digesters

Wausau, WI

St. Cloud, MN Winona, MN Beaver Dam, WI

Kenosha, WI

Green Bay, WI

and put it to work!

Boiler Fuel Electricity Production

Heat Recovery

Fuel for Vehicles

Driving Factors for RNG

Current operations

Renewable fuel with a low carbon content

RIN Details

https://www.biocycle.net/2017/11/13/101-for-rins/

RIN Type Description GHG Reduction

Requirement Price

5/1/19

Cellulosic Biofuel (D3)

Municipal wastewater plants and landfill biogas qualify

(Cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignin)

60% $1.55/RIN $2.33/GGE

Advanced Biofuel (D5)

Produced from non-corn starch, renewable biomass

50% $0.34/RIN $0.51/GGE

Getting Started:

RIN Basic Information

A RIN credit is a serial number assigned to each gallon of renewable fuel as it is introduced into U.S. commerce

Fossil fuel suppliers must have a percentage of their fuel be renewable and achieve some of these levels through RIN

Federally mandated volumes are in place until 2022

Only biogas used as renewable transportation fuel can generate RINs

RIN Agents - similar to Carbon Credit Exchange Brokers

Why RNG as Vehicle Fuel?

Current Natural Gas Price: $2.55/MMBTU

Average CNG Price (US): $2.11/GGE

8.8GGE = 1MMBTU

Equals $18.57/MMBTU, (CNG)

RINS are above and beyond the sale price of the fuel

Current D3 RIN Price is $1.55/RIN ($2.32/GGE)

Each RIN is 77,000 Btu

This equates to approximately 1.5 RINS/GGE

This equals an additional $20.42 per MMBTU

Step 1 - Biogas testing

bi·o·gas, ˈbīōˌɡas/, noun, gaseous fuel, especially methane, produced by the fermentation of organic matter. • Methane, CH4

• Carbon Dioxide, CO2

• Nitrogen, N2

• Oxygen, O2

• Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S • Moisture • Particulates • Siloxanes • Volatile Organic Compounds

Digester or Landfill Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Gas Compression/ Moisture Removal

Siloxane/VOC Removal

MicroTurbines IC Engines Boilers

Biogas Conditioning System: Process Flow Diagram

Biogas Conditioning System

Why Hydrogen Sulfide Removal?

Equipment damage from corrosion (Hydrosulfuric Acid)

SOx Emissions

Health and safety issues (1,000 ppm will cause an individual to

lose consciousness)

Odor control

Causes fouling of siloxane removal media

Measure levels with either lab testing, Draeger tubes, or onsite meter

Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Systems

Ferric Oxide, Fe2O3 coated (reaction) Wood based Clay based

Ferric hydroxide pellet (adsorption)

Wausau WWTP, WI

Digester or Landfill Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Gas Compression/ Moisture Removal

Siloxane/VOC Removal

MicroTurbines IC Engines Boilers

Biogas Conditioning System: Process Flow Diagram

Biogas Conditioning System

Moisture & Particulate Removal: Major Components

Gas Blower Inlet

Moisture/

Particulate Filter

Glycol Chiller

OR

Compressor

Heat Exchanger

Digester or Landfill Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Gas Compression/ Moisture Removal

Siloxane/VOC Removal

MicroTurbines IC Engines Boilers

Biogas Conditioning System: Process Flow Diagram

Biogas Conditioning System

What is a Siloxane?

Silica and organic compounds are combined

(Organosilicon)

Used in many consumer and *industrial products (Listed as Silicones

as the ingredient on products)

Shampoo * Dry Cleaning Solutions

Conditioner * Windshield Cleaning Products

Deodorant * RTV Silicone Cleaner

Food additives

Siloxanes break down in landfills and digesters, and combine with the methane gas

Boilers

Siloxane Impact on Equipment

Turbines

Engines

Flares

When methane gas is used as a fuel, the siloxanes form SiO2 Silicon Dioxide, and precipitate to a hard deposit on surfaces

Significant impact on electrical generation systems

Increased down time for maintaining equipment

Increased costs for components, i.e. spark plugs, valve seats

Engine rebuild time is more frequent

Siloxane/VOC Removal

Coal

Coconut shell

Wood

Extruded pellets

4 x 8 mesh chips

Silica gel - spheres

Silica gel – irregular shaped

Biogas

bi·o·gas, ˈbīōˌɡas/, noun, gaseous fuel, especially methane, produced by the fermentation of organic matter. • Methane, CH4

• Carbon Dioxide, CO2

• Nitrogen, N2

• Oxygen, O2

• Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S • Moisture • Particulates • Siloxanes • Volatile Organic Compounds

BioCNG Fueling System

Process Flow Diagram

Digester or Landfill BioCNG Gas Upgrading System CNG Vehicle

Fueling Station and Vehicles

MicroTurbines IC Engines Boilers

Traditional System with Addition of

CO2 Removal System

Janesville WW TP, WI – Fast Fill

Janesville, WI

Start-up: November 2010

Gas Flow: 140scfm

BioCNG 50

Fast Fill – vehicle fueling

(4) CR65 micro turbines

(1) CR 200 micro turbine

BioCNG Fueling System

Process Flow Diagram

Digester or Landfill BioCNG Gas Upgrading System

CNG for Vehicle

Fast fill stations

Dedicated Pipeline

Virtual Pipeline

Time fill stations Natural Gas

Pipeline

Blue Line Transfer – Time Fill

South San Francisco, CA

8 Dry Anaerobic Digesters 11,200 tons of food and

green waste diverted per year

Gas Flow: 100 scfm

Time Fill – CNG fueled waste haulers

Fast fill – small amount of high pressure storage on site for emergency fill

In operation since 2015

Persigo WW TP, Grand Junction, CO

Dedicated Pipeline

Population –

Approximately 80,000, Grand Junction and Mesa County

Located on the Colorado River

12.5 MGD municipal plant (Avg. flow 8 MGD)

100 scfm of biogas produced

In operation since April 2015

City of Grand Junction RNG Pipeline

Dedicated 5.8 mile pipeline

Located on the Colorado River

Extends from WWTP to existing fueling stations

Treatment Plant

Filling Station

2017 - 62 city and county vehicles total being used Saved $179,000 on gasoline

Time Fill – Fueling Station

Time Fill for CNG- Fueled collection trucks and city buses

Dedicated 5.8 mile pipeline

142,000 gallons of gasoline diverted

CO2 Reduction of 3 million pounds/year

2017 - 62 city and county vehicles total being used

Saved $179,000 on gasoline

At a Glance

Previous raw gas use (untreated) was for boilers on site only

Provides 280 - 300 GGE per day for city vehicles

Production costs - $1.04/GGE RIN payback - $2.30/RIN (3/29/18) $ 3.45/GGE (1.5 D3 RIN/GGE)

$1.50/GGE charged to city during payback period $3.91/GGE Net profit

6 year payback

$2.9M Total project, ($1.5M for equipment, balance for pipeline)

Colorado Department of Local Affairs grant - $500,000

Details provided by site, September 2018

St Landry Parish, L A Landfill

Virtual Pipeline

Washington, LA

Operational since March 2012

Gas Flow: 150scfm

BioCNG 50 & 100

Low pressure fuel storage vessel (120 psi)

Fast Fill – vehicle fueling

St Landry Parish-Opelousa, L A

Remote station

Trailer with 9 low pressure storage tubes (2580 psi)

Fast Fill – vehicle fueling

• Increased methane recovery

• High BTU product (RNG)

• Dual stage membrane technology

• Nitrogen removal may also be needed

Biogas Upgrading

to Pipeline Injection

Getting Started on a Biogas to Energy or Vehicle Fuel Project

Cost Revenue

Getting Started

http://www.energenecs.com/ www.unisonsolutions.com